Today's newspost is about prepping for 5.4--things you should be stockpiling for the patch, as well as things you might want to get done before they're removed!

Talk Azeroth

This week Olivia's taking you on a voyage into patch 5.4 as we recently found out when it was going live on servers. She tells you just exactly what you ought to be thinking of stockpiling and what you ought to be spending, and theorizing on reasons why there might not be a Valor reset with the patch.

The main topic she wants to talk to you about this week, though, is heirlooms. Olivia's got a wacky theory she wants to share on just how the personal loot system might interact with these new heirlooms.

Then she moves onto loot equality, trying to reassure LFR-only raiders that things will turn out OK, while also waxing lyrical on the reasons why these items should and shouldn't be in LFR in the first place.

Removed Content in Patch 5.4

The weekly quests for Battlefield Barrens, as well as most special vanity items, are being removed in 5.4. You will not be able to get Latent Kor'kron transmog armor or any Darkspear Rebellion vanity gear after the patch, or complete Hordebreaker/Darkspear Revolutionary and get the resulting title.

Crithto

As the Orgrimmar invasion begins in 5.4, Vol’jin and his forces will move beyond gathering supplies and into a full assault on the Horde capital. This means that once the new patch goes live, the Battlefield: Barrens weekly quest will no longer be available.

Those of you who have a Radical Mojo after the patch goes live will still be able to use it with existing armor tokens. However, Ravika, the Darkspear Rebellion Quartermaster, will no longer be available for purchases, but you will have a rare chance at receiving the Raptorhide Boxing Gloves and Gahz'rooki's Summoning Stone by killing the Kor’kron, and other associated mobs in Northern Barrens.

Nethaera

Sealed shut for many years to outsiders, the Vale of Eternal Blossoms has been the physical and spiritual center of Pandaria and a place of great beauty and reverence—but something has gone horribly wrong, and this once beautiful, seemingly untouchable land has been deeply and irrevocably scarred.

With the war between the Alliance and the Horde in full swing, Warchief Garrosh Hellscream ordered a goblin dig team to set to work searching for an artifact buried deep within the heart of the Vale (see the Dark Heart of Pandaria Scenario). Ignoring the warnings of Taran Zhu, they began to dig within the Big Blossom Excavation site. What they found there may have been more than they bargained for.

Deep within the site, in a long-buried secret vault created by the Titans, Garrosh discovered a power that had long been thought locked away and untouchable: the heart of Y’shaarj. The story of what happens next unfolds in the upcoming content update, Patch 5.4: Siege of Orgrimmar.

Perhaps Not so Eternal

The events brought about by the discovery of the artifact have drastically and dramatically changed the Vale. Where Whitepetal Lake once glimmered like a jewel, now there remains only a dried, dusty husk. With many of the lakes and rivers of the vale now devoid of water, even the Jewel Danio have gone. (Though never fear! The industrious cloud serpents have rescued them and relocated them to the Timeless Isle, where they can thrive once more.)

The Lay of the Land

In the wake of this destruction, the process of entering the Vale of Eternal Blossoms for the first time remains largely the same, though the quest leading there has been slightly updated to reflect the changes that have occurred. Adventurers will no longer be ushered into the full splendor of the Vale as it once was, but will instead bear witness to the tainted landscape the war between the Alliance and the Horde has left behind.

Beyond just the physical appearance of the land changing, new residents have taken root in the Vale, and old ones have gained more ground. Within the Summer Fields, Big Blossom Excavation, and the Emperor’s Approach, Vestiges of Pride ooze and slide over the land.

Within the Guo-Lai Ruins, Manifestation of Pride fight mogu. Even the Golden Stair lay in smoking ruin, and the mogu have moved north to Ruin’s Rise and into Winterbough Glade, ousting the sprites and spiders that once lay in wait. (Congratulations arachnophobes, the spiders are gone, save for one . . . a big one. You thought you got rid of her? The Ashweb Matriarch Bloodtip is not so easily ousted.)

Mistfall Village still stands to the southwest, and the spirits of the pandaren monks and the mogu continue their eternal battle within the Tu Shen Burial Grounds to the south, seemingly untouched by the events Garrosh’s machinations have wrought within the Vale of Eternal Blossoms.

Questing in the Vale

For those continuing their adventures within the Vale, there remains little evidence of the grand pagoda where the Golden Lotus once set heroes to task. No longer do they stand in watch against the mogu, and their enemies have spread even farther into the Vale. There is a way to continue earning reputation with these stalwart defenders, though. By killing many of the creatures within the Vale and taking on rare monsters, you’ll continue to earn reputation and Guo-Lai cache keys to unlock treasure chests within the ruins.

For those who have yet to earn the Achievement “Eternally in the Vale,” time is running out! Once Patch 5.4 is launched, this Achievement will become a Feat of Strength and will no longer be possible to earn. This is also your last opportunity to experience the Golden Lotus reputation story line, advanced at Honored, Revered, and Exalted.

Daily quests will still be available from the Setting Sun Garrison, though there were will be fewer of them as the Shado-Pan continue to train and fight the mantid at the wall as is their sworn duty.

What has happened in the Vale has left a scar, but the threat that lies within Garrosh’s discovery will spread beyond Pandaria’s shores. Make sure you check back for the Siege of Orgrimmar trailer—coming “soon.”

Comments

Comment by grammieof9

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:00:34 -0500

You STILL are not saying a whole lot about us, the Alliance or is this game being turned into World of Hordecraft? Let's learn more about our part in this and less about that spoiled child Garrosh. We have 2 princes here who seem to have been written out of the story. But hey, you wrote us draenei out of it 2 xpacks ago..

Comment by Keelerak

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:15:21 -0500

You STILL are not saying a whole lot about us, the Alliance or is this game being turned into World of Hordecraft? Let's learn more about our part in this and less about that spoiled child Garrosh. We have 2 princes here who seem to have been written out of the story. But hey, you wrote us draenei out of it 2 xpacks ago..

There will always be some people who complain. Dude, you get to siege Orgrimmar. Siege. Orgrimmar. The Horde capital, you know. You get to kill the Warchief, canon-wise, not just some PvP achievement. Seriously, wtf is your problem?

Comment by Rankkor

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:23:01 -0500

I spotted several typos perc =P

(Typos will be underlined)

The weekly quests for Battlefield Barrens, as well as most special vanity items, are being removed in 5.3. You will not be able to get Latent Kor'kron transmog armor or any Darkspear Rebellion vanity gear after the patch, or complete Hordebreaker/ Darkspear Revolutionary and get the resulting title.

(You mean 5.4)

Eternally in the Vale will be removed from Vale of Eternal Blossoms as the zone undergoes some major changes from the Patch 5.4: Siege of Orgrimmar trailer. You will still be able to hit Exalted with the Golden Lotus, complete quests that grant achievements, and farm Alani Alani.

(Said Alani twice)

With the patch coming pretty soon, you're probably best off supplementing daily rep gains with Stolen Golden Lotus Insignia from Zandalari Warbringer, making sure to do Work Order: Golden Lotus II at your farm every day, and seleting Golden Lotus for bonus dungeon and scenario rep. Be sure to pick up Grand Commendation of the Golden Lotus at revered to speed your reputation gains along if you want Eternally in the Vale

.

(Selecting*)

You STILL are not saying a whole lot about us, the Alliance or is this game being turned into World of Hordecraft? Let's learn more about our part in this and less about that spoiled child Garrosh. We have 2 princes here who seem to have been written out of the story. But hey, you wrote us draenei out of it 2 xpacks ago..

There will always be some people who complain. Dude, you get to siege Orgrimmar. Siege. Orgrimmar. The Horde capital, you know. You get to kill the Warchief, canon-wise, not just some PvP achievement. Seriously, wtf is your problem?

I have no idea.

The alliance so far has canonically invaded not one but TWO of our capitals, and gets to canonically kill one of our racial leaders, they get to keep their airship in the jade forest while ours goes in flames 15 minutes after ariving, they get to keep their Admiral Taylor while we lose General Nazgrim, a character many of us grew attached to, in 5.1 they get a scenario were they deliver a crushing and humilliating defeat to the horde, which includes being turned into exploding chickens, while we get a scenario were we see one of our most beloved characters stabbed in the neck and have to fight our own people.

In 5.2 Jaina gets the power of a demi-god while the horde gets the triple A bateries of a golem.

And now they get to siege our capital, kill a large chunk of our forces, be named Hordebreaker and Conqueror of Orgrimmar, and they get to WIN THE FRIKKING WAR................................... and some people still whine and cry.

I honest to god, don't understand some people.

Comment by Stabhorn

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:27:06 -0500

Garrosh is the first leader to be killed canon-wise (unless you want to count Sylvanas dying in Quel'thas and to Lord Godfrey.)

Comment by BrightBrown

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:35:55 -0500

So why can't they say they plan to drop it on 8/27, barring any serious issues?

Two things concern me, the neutering of Combustion for Fire Mages and no more (new) Valor gear available.

And if the rares on TI are like IoT, cloth wearers <535+ ilvl may have issues soloing them. OTOH, being no tap means in the first month, there should be enough folks "around" to make that a non-issue. The problem may lie 2-3 months in.

Comment by Rankkor

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 12:46:42 -0500

So why can't they say they plan to drop it on 8/27, barring any serious issues?

Because then if something happens, people will complain. They prefer to be vague and say as little as possible to prevent backlashes.

And if the rares on TI are like IoT, cloth wearers <535+ ilvl may have issues soloing them.

Depends on the cloth wearer. I don't see warlocks ever having a problem with those. Specially demo locks.

Comment by Rystrave

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:07:50 -0500

I spotted several typos perc =P

WEEOOWEEOO grammar police are here!/hugsnarf

I'm curious what a full set of Latent armor looks like... I tried figuring it out on the model viewer but there's no 3D models of it from what I can see.

Comment by suplup

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:21:06 -0500

I spotted several typos perc =P

WEEOOWEEOO grammar police are here!/hugsnarf

I'm curious what a full set of Latent armor looks like... I tried figuring it out on the model viewer but there's no 3D models of it from what I can see.

It's the same as replica armor from the Darkmoon Faire, except for monks and DKs, who have questing greens and the 2nd set of starting gear, respectively.

Comment by trest

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 13:33:38 -0500

Some other things going away in the patch:

Currencies

Conquest Points will be converted to Honor Points at the end of the season, and any Honor above 4,000 will be converted to gold at a rate of 35 silver per point.

The conversion rate for Justice Points to Honor Points have changed. The conversion rate is now 500 Justice per 250 Honor (up from 375 Justice per 250 Honor).

AchievementsI saw this mentioned in one place a couple weeks ago, but haven't been able to find the mention again. Can someone confirm this, please?

Comment by KittyFox

1. They said that they are not doing anything with your JP and VP. You don't need to speculate that they will not change, they aren't going to change.

2. You said you wildly speculated that they would allow you to "roll on" or "pick" specs that you want for your heirloom drop. They've also stated that the first heirloom drop you get will be for your current LootSpec on that character. Future heirloom drops will be completely random across ALL possible classes/specs.

Comment by WizzardlordUK

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:04:10 -0500

owts?....and i thought it was alts. Which is short for "alternative".

Comment by Clockw0rk

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:19:48 -0500

Doesn't Eternally in the Vale count as a Loremaster achievement (not for the meta, but just in 'zone complete' fashion)?

If this is being retired as a feat of strength, don't we need some.. new 'zone complete' achievement?

I really hope they have some epilogue "Nothing lasts forever" achievement for doing some quests concerning the Vale's destruction and eventual rebuilding.

Comment by Azrile

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 14:26:14 -0500

The heirlooms are going to be personal loot for normal and hard. The first one is your current spec, any after are completely random.

Comment by perculia

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 19:20:12 -0500

We got Talk Azeroth shared a day later than usual because yesterday had the awesome 5.4 trailer as well as our XIVDB announcement. It's always risky covering PTR stuff when it changes so frequently, and it looks like we just had some bad timing where some PTR information reveals came up right after Talk Azeroth was produced.

Comment by TmrAsakura

on Fri, 16 Aug 2013 21:36:19 -0500

i dont really get why they wouldn't allow us to be able to get the troll shoes from kor'kron mobs as well

Comment by Opponent

on Sat, 17 Aug 2013 09:05:43 -0500

Who the hell is Olivia? :/

Comment by tmptfate

on Sat, 17 Aug 2013 09:18:38 -0500

With the patch coming pretty soon, you're probably best off supplementing daily rep gains with Stolen Golden Lotus Insignia from Zandalari Warbringer, making sure to do Work Order: Golden Lotus II at your farm every day, and selecting Golden Lotus for bonus dungeon and scenario rep

.

Killing any of the new Sha in the Vale gives Golden Lotus Rep, so its a joke to do in 5.4. They respawn fairly fast and the zone is half covered in them.